Trenton NJ, in April Gov. Phil Murphy announced the appointment of former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn to head up the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, serving as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services ranging from early childhood through adulthood.

But according to the ANCOR Foundation,stagnant or declining investments in state programs that help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead more independent and productive lives have resulted in New Jersey dropping from 34th place in 2016 to 38th place this year in state rankings, according to the Case for Inclusion 2019, compiled by the ANCOR Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).

The Case for Inclusion 2019 ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia on how well state programs, primarily Medicaid, serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The states are ranked in five key areas critical to the inclusion, support and empowerment of individuals with I/DD and their families: Promoting Independence, Promoting Productivity, Keeping Families Together, Serving Those in Need, and Tracking Health, Safety & Quality of Life.

The biggest factors affecting New Jersey’s poor performance are low marks in the areas of Promoting Independence and Promoting Productivity. New Jersey ranks in the bottom 10 of all states in these areas, at 42nd and 43rd, respectively. Particularly problematic for the Garden State in the area of Promoting Independence is that it fails to meet the coveted “80/80 standard”; although at least 80 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD received Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with I/DD live in the community.

The Case for Inclusion, which has been published regularly since 2006 by UCP, compiles the most recent data available (generally from 2016 for this report) and analyzes 30 outcome measures in the five major categories. The ANCOR Foundation joins UCP this year in publishing the report. Among the other key findings on New Jersey’s performance:

• 5.8 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD—the fifth-highest percentage in the nation—live in one of New Jersey’s five state-run institutions.

• More than 3,100 New Jerseyans with I/DD live in large-scale congregate care settings, defined as group homes or Intermediate Care Facilities with at least seven residents.

• Only 11 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD in New Jersey were working in competitive employment—meaning they work alongside those without disabilities and earn market-driven wages—compared to the national average of 19 percent.

• One relative bright spot was in the area of Serving Those in Need, where New Jersey ranked 22nd, in part because of its relatively low number of individuals on the state’s waiting list for residential services (3,201).

Nationally, the report found that notable advances in the support of individuals with I/DD have stalled. For instance, just 29 states—two more than in the 2016 Case for Inclusion—report that at least 80 percent of these Americans are served in home-like settings, such as a family home, their own home or a small group setting—a number that hasn’t budged from the 2016 Case for Inclusion findings. And decades after states embarked on efforts to close large institutions that warehouse the intellectually and developmentally disabled, just 15 states have eliminated all such facilities, a number that is also unchanged from 2016.

The report documented downward trends in two critical areas: (1) the number of people on waitlists for residential and community services, and (2) the number of individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment. The Case for Inclusion 2019 found the number of people on waiting lists for Home and Community-Based Services was up 75,000 from the 2016 report to almost 424,000. Just seven states, down from 10 in 2016, reported at least 33 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment.

“Individuals with I/DD, including the young and the aging, want and deserve the same opportunities and quality of life as all Americans. Yet some states do much better than others in demonstrating the needed political will and implementing the sound policies and focused funding necessary to achieve this ideal,” the report states.

“The pervasive theme across states and, specifically in New Jersey, is that the Direct Support Professional (DSP) crisis created by an inability to recruit and retain DSPs contributes to these challenges. I just learned yesterday that an agency has a house ready and waiting to receive three individuals that want to live within the community, however, the agency is struggling to find staff.

With New Jersey failing to meet the 80/80 standard meaning the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with IDD live in the community and in the bottom five for the number of institutions remaining, we can and must do more.,” commented NJACP CEO Valerie Sellers.

It is notable that during a period of polarization on many issues, policies that support individuals with I/DD have support from stakeholders across the political spectrum. For example, the 10 highest-ranked states are a political mix, including deep-blue Oregon and California and deep-red Kentucky and South Dakota. Armando Contreras, President & CEO of UCP, notes that “across the country, we see efforts by state policymakers to enhance their approach to Medicaid services and supports and related programs for the I/DD population by making the best use of existing and scarce resources. Of course, additional funding to keep pace with the diverse needs of this population would help, but new ideas and shared best practices from successful states have the potential to drive improvements even absent additional funding.”

The full Case for Inclusion 2019 report, along with scorecards for each state and additional resources, can be downloaded at caseforinclusion.org.

This is bullshit and too little too late. They should have reached out to us before they started the digging all around CBD. The destiny for RW is on the wall regardless our feedback in this phony “survey”. They have their own image in mind, all of them including this and past VCs and they will implement that. I hate this hypocrisy. They know it is too late, many people have given up fighting and the majority of residents does not care (only 400 people responded). It just makes them feel better……

Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy is facing continued questions over his hiring practices after a pair of former campaign workers who joined his administration recently left amid scandal, and a third was suspended for using raw language on social media. The BLOG would like to know when Murphy will wise up and get rid of local philanderer Paul Aronsohn, who was hired by our governor to be the Ombudsman for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families.

Many changes during my 28 years as a neighbor of the Habernickel Horse Farm. The once bucolic setting transformed into a chaotic mix of nonstop Health barn business activities and recreation programs. Hillcrest Road is a mess and wildlife is disappearing.Fear of retaliation keeps neighbors quiet.

Stacy Antine stalks the neighbors. She takes photos of them walking their dogs in the park and she instructs her employees to do the same. She has a timeline in a few of them and they are NOT afraid to share it or speak out. This business destroyed a park and the owner made it personal and took neighbors to court. Ramon was aware of this situation and now as Mayor is promoting it. What a disappointment .

Be careful in that park. Antine keeps a list of all who enter even-neighborhood kids with backpacks what out. Unless you pay to go you get written up It is NO longer a friendly neighborhood park thanks to healthbarn and the village for still allowing it.

I heard that Antine was accusing neighbors of being racist, and now that I remember those hearings was back when Aronsohn and Sonenfeld ruled the dais that was the case then. People who spoke up against using a public park for a private enterprise were accused of not wanting children from Newark to come to lily white Ridgewood. Whenever the racism card is put down on the table all bets are off. She is despicable.

the neighbors are willing to let everyone know what Stacy Antine owner of healthbarn did to them in their own neighborhood where they must pay a ton of taxes to live Ramon should be ashamed to promote this business after the owner pulled a stunt like the one she did. Everyone should know and be aware that the village is choosing to support a business over the quality of life of tax payers

Ridgewood NJ, those residents who are concerned with the current level of over development in Ridgewood ,she remain vigilant .the village dogged a bullet during the last election no matter what the Aronsohn and Co. protors want you to think. Candidate Harwin was promoted by the Queen of overdevelopment state Senator Loretta Weinberg.

Don’t think this Village Council Election is all about high density house and forced over development ,think again ,Harwin is bragging all over the internet on her endorsement of “high density” Senator Loretta Weinberg.
Weinberg has continually promoted over development in Bergen County .
Harwin: So grateful to be endorsed by Loretta Weinberg, NJ State Senate Majority Leader and women’s leadership pioneer.
“Now, more than ever, we need to elect strong, progressive women, and it is in that spirit that I hope Alexandra Harwin gets elected to the Ridgewood Council. She’s smart. She’s thoughtful. And she would bring to Village Hall a welcome mix of energy, passion and integrity. Ridgewood is lucky to have Ali Harwin. I hope you vote for her on Tuesday, May 8.”
— Senator Loretta Weinberg — with Alexandra Harwin and Loretta Weinberg.

MOUNTAINSIDE NJ , A new Gravis Marketing poll released yesterday shows that Bob Hugin has moved into a statistical dead heat with Bob Menendez, with the incumbent clinging to a 43-41 lead.
“It’s no surprise that the more New Jerseyans learn about corrupt, career politician Bob Menendez the less they trust him and the more they want him out of office.

We have seen a significant shift towards our campaign and only expect those numbers to grow,” said Hugin Communications Director Megan Piwowar. “We are confident the more that New Jersey voters learn about Bob Hugin, a Marine veteran and successful business leader, they will elect a Senator we can be proud of.”

The poll of 563 likely New Jersey voters was conducted from July 6 to July 10.

Ridgewood schools are already busting at the seams. Add the several hundred students who will arrive with the developments and several new schools will need to be built. Remember, the census of how many students live in the apartments was taken only at the high rise at Franklin and Maple. No count was ever taken in any of the garden apartments on Oak and on the other side of the tracks. Why wasn’t it taken in buildings that do accommodate children? One good thing could probably occur. There will be many fewer houses w/graduation and sale signs together. It would be much cheaper to rent one of our new apartments and just leave when their children graduate. That is what many of current apartment dwellers do when their last child graduates now.

The Brogan project is a disaster for the town. None of these high density projects will benefit anyone except the developers and their attorneys. Westfield is paying attention – it does not want to become Montclair or Hackensack which is where Ridgewood is headed. Where do the developers and their attorneys live?

What has started at Brogan will sweep the whole Ridgewood. In a couple of years it will be a brand new city. Oh, and for those who think new housing does not affect schools greatschools.org just lowered RHS grade to 9 from 10. It had been a 10 for many, many years. I can only imagine what the grade will be in a few years at which time we can all kiss goodbye our house values.

People can be supported by people they like and trust only to learn that those people are not what they thought. That particular helper has fooled plenty of people before. It is to Susan’s credit that she recognized the truth and turned away. Isn’t this what blog posters have been begging Harwin to do from the beginning, on the assumption that as a newbie in town she didn’t realize whose claws she had fallen into? Yet weeks and weeks later, nothing has changed and that support has not been repudiated. One concludes that it’s all fine with her. This speaks volumes…

Ridgewood NJ, Gov. Phil Murphy today announced the appointment of former Ridgewood Mayor and ethically challenged Paul Aronsohn to head up the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, serving as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services ranging from early childhood through adulthood.

Arosohn’s tenure as mayor was marred by ethics scandals, acrimony from the dais, insane over development of the central business district, suicide bike lanes , dangerous ,over budget and ill-advised ramps at Graydon Pool ,bad Village business decisions and fermenting a hostile environment, impinging on the quality of life in the Village of Ridgewood. Many residents consider his tenure an all time low in the history of the Village of Ridgewood.

The Office of the Ombudsman, which is in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury, was created by law in January, granting the governor appointment authority.
As the ombudsman, Aronsohn will organize and direct the work of the office with duties that include:

Serving as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families and interested members of the public, to help them better understand state and federal laws and regulations;
Coordinating with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, to provide information and support on navigating and understanding the process for obtaining services from the state Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, including information on transitioning between the two programs;
Providing information and communication strategies to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families for resolving disagreements with various state agencies, as well as education on the available options for resolving such disputes;
Working with service recipients, families and the departments to facilitate the provision of services and supports;
Identifying common concerns for individuals and their families, and making recommendations to the Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities or the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Human Services; and
To assist the Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities in creating public information programs designed to inform individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, their families, and the public about the role of the ombudsman.
Under law, the ombudsman is also required to issue a written report annually to the commissioners of both the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, as well as the governor and the legislature.